Mercury 225 reed valve busted on number 6

[The Nooge]

My mechanic has just advised me that my reed valve(s) were damaged. He stated that the damage looked like it came from an object "inside" the motor that struck the reed.

I just purchased this motor. I have never ran it on my boat. It is a 2004 Optmax. The guy I bought it from swears that he checked the compression and all-around mechanical function of the motor and that it checked out fine.

What could cause this damage from the inside? Valve skirt?

If the motor is still running and making no noise/clatter and the compression is fine, could it be that someone worked on the motor and damaged the reed plate without noticing it?

Why can't we find any debris inside the motor anywhere?

Would you recommend putting a new reed valve on it and running it?

Thanks.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Mercury 225 reed valve busted on number 6

Optis and reeds cracking/breaking go hand in hand. You can break a reed on a Optimax and it will still idle good and run fine, it will just be low a couple of hundred rpms. If you never ran it why did you have the induction manifold pulled?? Replace all the reeds with Merc factory carbon reeds or a aftermarket fiber reed but not Boyesen, Also pull the head and inspect that cylinder to insure reed is gone and not just hung up internally and that there is no cylinder/piston damage.

 

[The Nooge]

Re: Mercury 225 reed valve busted on number 6

Thanks Fatzbullet. All I know is my mechanic called after he started it up initially (sitting on the boat, not on a sea trial) and oil was not pumping and there was no crank case pressure. The reed was damaged at the number 6 cylinder and he said it looked milky inside when he shined a light in? Any further thoughts. Thanks for the advice.